


Interpersonal

by valkyrish



Category: Persona 4, Persona 4 Arena
Genre: Cute, F/M, First Crush, First Kiss, Personal Growth, Profanity, Sparring
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-02-06
Updated: 2015-02-06
Packaged: 2018-03-10 17:32:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 8,505
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3298385
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/valkyrish/pseuds/valkyrish
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Labyrs and Sho find themselves drawn to each other as they explore the finer points of human communication.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Something Akin to Affection

She wasn’t going to look for him. Shaky as it was, their bond would keep them connected. But that didn’t stop her from worrying, just a little. Sho had changed, but he was definitely still a loose cannon.

Labrys had wanted to hurt people, too, but she didn’t share his absolute relish for violence. She could recognize it for the cry for attention that it was, but it did make him a risk to others, and to himself.

It had been a month since she had seen him, and strangely, the memory made her smile. He had said she was strong; it was the only nice thing he had said. Then, he had called her a _stupid toaster_.

The way he had laughed at her afterwards made her feel a bit strange. It wasn’t his rudeness; it was the grin on his face that stuck out in her memory. That smile held none of the malevolence or cruelty that he had displayed earlier that day, just happiness. It felt like a glimpse of the real Sho. Even though he used unkind words like _broken_ and _scrap_ , there was a crude attempt at something akin to affection behind them. Maybe he didn’t even recognize it himself. Maybe it was just her imagination.

But he had other things to figure out, and there were things she needed to do.

Recalling the smile on his face, his parting words echoed in her mind.

'See you later, robot. You better have your damn oil changed or something!'

Wherever he was, she hoped he would find what he was looking for.

Labrys had a feeling it wouldn’t be that long before she saw him again. Even though she had no idea just what that encounter would bring, she couldn’t help but look forward to it.


	2. Modern Communication

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Labrys learns how to use a cell phone and figures out how to communicate with all types.

"Labrys, you should have a cell phone so that we can reach you easily if the need arises," Mitsuru had said. This statement led to a stop at an electronics store for a bit of business on a rare Sunday girls’ outing. It was purely coincidental that they were all available to gather like this, and Labrys cherished every moment.  
  
Maybe she was imagining it, but every single man, woman, and child in the store craned his or her neck to watch them as they passed. Even in street clothes, Mitsuru and Yukari attracted a lot of attention everywhere they went, and the Anti-Shadow Suppression Weapons never blended in. Despite her blue hair, Fuuka was capable of avoiding attention when she was on her own, but with this group, she only added to the spectacle.   
  
“An excellent idea, Mitsuru-san,” Aigis added. “I will also be able to send you amusing images that I discover online.”  
  
Fuuka giggled. “Aigis’s texts are pretty funny!”   
  
“But you gotta warn us next time you’re going to send something, you know, dirty,” Yukari said, lowering her voice. “My agent almost caught me with that picture of that guy, and I work on a kids’ show!” After a pause, she added with a shudder, “Why’d you have to send that anyway?”  
  
“I was unaware that the picture could be considered objectionable,” Aigis replied. Her light, almost musical tone suggested that she was, in fact, aware. “From a medical perspective, I found the picture fascinating. In the future, I will precede such messages with the letters ‘NSFW’ as Fuuka-san taught me.”  
  
Fuuka gave a soft snort of laughter at this.   
  
Mitsuru returned to the group after paying for the phone, handing Labrys a box. “I’ve preloaded your phone with contact information for all of our friends as well as other members of the organization,” she said. “Of course, the Kirijo Group will cover the expense, but please don’t hesitate to use the phone for personal purposes.”

“I can show you how to download applications and watch TV shows on your new phone, Labrys,” Fuuka offered.

“That’d be great, Fuuka-san,” Labrys replied with a smile.  “I’ve never used one of these things before.”

“Yamagishi, would you also please install the enhanced security package that you’ve developed for the organization?” asked Mitsuru.

“Of course,” the engineering student replied. Mitsuru thanked her, and the group ventured out for lunch at the nearby café. Fuuka and Aigis explained the features of the phone to Labrys while Mitsuru and Yukari talked about Yukari’s new marketing campaign for a popular candy.

“Whoa, check out those girls!” a male voice called out.

“Are they college students? They look like models!” said another.

“I-isn’t that one Yukari Takeba? I just saw her Pucchu ad at the train station. D-do you think she’d give me her autograph?”

“No way, man, look at that terrifying woman next to her! And those girls behind them…they don’t even look real.”

“Don’t you guys get tired of the attention, Yukari-chan?” Fuuka asked.

Yukari shrugged. “Sure, but I love my job. It’s just something I deal with.”

“Attention?” Mitsuru wondered. “Is someone bothering our group, Yamagishi? Please allow me to handle the situation.” Her voice was deadly calm and her eyes glinted dangerously.

“Oh, crap!” the boys yelped, scampering off.

“That’s one way to deal with it,” Yukari said with a chuckle. “Believe it or not, it’s easier to go out with you guys than by myself. I don’t mind the kids, but most of the guys aren’t as polite as those two.”

The girls enjoyed their lunch, and Labrys especially liked hearing them reminisce about old times. Though she hadn’t been there to experience them, the stories gave her insight into her new friends and she felt she understood them better now.

They parted ways after lunch, and Labrys tested out her new phone. Under her sister and Fuuka’s tutelage, she had quickly learned how to use it. Things like that weren’t hard for her.

“Hi, Yu-kun. This is Labrys. Hope you don’t mind me messaging you. Mitsuru-san got me this phone, so please contact me if you ever need to.”

Yu responded quickly. “Cool. It’s good to hear from you. You can message me whenever you want.”

“Thanks.” She tried using some of the happy-face emoji that Fuuka had showed her. “I hope you’re doing good.”

They caught up with a couple more texts, putting Labrys was in a good mood for the rest of the night. She had homework to do, but even that didn’t get her down.

Mitsuru had helped her enroll at Gekkoukan High, and while the work was hard, it made her happy. She had even started helping out with student council, and she got to keep in touch with Ken and Koromaru. It was a good thing she liked being busy, because she also had her work with the Shadow Operatives.

She was working on language, her most challenging subject. Even though her unique abilities allowed her to process information quickly, her mother’s influence was strong and textbook language just didn’t come naturally to her.

The ringer of her phone interrupted her focus, and she flipped it open to see a message that could only be from one person.

“Labby-chan! I want you to know that if you ever need an opinion on a new swimsuit, your knight is just a photo message away!”

Labrys shook her head. Teddie was worse than the strangers on the street! “I dunno about that, but if you ever wanna talk, I’ll be here.”

“That sounds bearrific!”

In the following weeks, Labrys talked and exchanged messages with all of her friends from Inaba and in Port Island. The conversations lifted her spirits and kept her focused on her goals.

It was with surprise that one evening she received a call from an unknown number. No one had ever called her from a wrong number before, and Fuuka’s security measures prevented her location from being tracked by anyone but the Shadow Operatives, so she decided to answer.

“Hello?” She was met with silence before the call cut off. “Weird,” Labrys muttered. She was just starting to type a message to Fuuka about the incident when the same number called again.

“Hello? Are you gonna say something this time, or are you just gonna hang up again?” she said. “Who is this?”

There was a loud groan on the other end. “What’s with the third degree? You don’t have to be so damn loud! Don’t you know how to use a phone?”

That voice. It had been a while, but she would never forget it.

“Sho-kun?”

“Man, I thought there was no way you could be as slow as I remembered, but I was wrong!” He could barely get the words out between cackles.

“How’d you even get this number?”

“That’s none of your goddamn business!” he snapped, his voice darkening slightly.

She wanted to keep him on the line and find out if he was okay, but his manner was so frustrating.

“Where are you? Why are you callin’ me?” she wondered.

He clicked his tongue. “What’s it to you? You know what, forget it, this is bulltshit.”

“No, Sho-kun, don’t hang up!” she shouted. He started laughing again.

“I told you, you don’t have to yell, you piece of junk! I. Can. Hear. You.”

Clearly, questions weren’t going to work. She had to communicate with him on a level that he could understand. She tried to think about her shadow, channeling her frustration.

“You’re the one who’s yelling!” she shot back, rising to his challenge.

“There must be something wrong with your Sho-term memory,” he said, laughing at his own bad joke. “Yelling is my thing! It’s not my fault you’re shit at it.”

 As much as she tried to stay in control, she sprang out of her seat, temper bubbling at the surface.  “Well, you don’t gotta be so rude all the time. You’re kinda startin’ to piss me off!”

“Ohhhh, noooo!” he drawled in mock concern. “I’m not scared of a pile of parts.”

Labrys gritted her teeth. “Do I need to remind ya what happened last time we fought?”

“Shut the hell up! It was a lucky shot. We’ll see how lucky you feel next time you’re staring down my blades,” he fired back. She could feel his temper over the phone, but she knew what lay behind his threats. The only way he would understand her was if she matched his intensity.

“I ain’t afraid of you, either, Sho-kun! I’ll wipe the floor with you!”

“Why, did your dumb friends finally turn you into a vacuum so you could do something useful? Oh wait, you already sucked!” He cackled with glee at his own presumed cleverness, and her voice came out even louder than before.

“You better hurry up and find what you’re looking for because I can’t wait to take you down!”

“Well _you_ better get that oil change. It’s no fun if you’re just gonna fall apart on me!”

She smiled, realizing her plan had worked. It was hard-fought, but he wouldn’t have it any other way. Her anger was fading, and she mimicked his almost playful tone.

“I’ll be ready, Sho-kun. I promise you that.”

He didn’t respond for a moment, then she heard him click his tongue again.

“Tch, whatever, robot. See you around.”

With that, he hung up, and soon after, there was a knock at Labrys’s door.

“Sister, I heard yelling. Are you all right?” came Aigis’s voice. Labrys laughed, her anger nearly completely subsided. She walked over to the door and opened it, seeing her sister’s concerned face.

“I’m fine. Sorry, I didn’t mean to bother you.”

“Who were you talking to?” Aigis wondered.

She didn’t want to worry her sister, so she hesitated to answer with his name. But what could she call Sho? He wasn’t really a friend or a comrade, but he wasn’t an enemy. What was that word that Yukari had taught her? Frenemy?

Aigis was smiling. “Well, whoever it was, I’m glad he’s all right.” Labrys was surprised at first, but then she smiled, too. Her sister could see right through her.

“Yeah, me too,” she said with a laugh.


	3. Disarm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Labrys just wants some peace and quiet, but guess who SHOs up.

Sometimes, it was okay to be alone.

No, that wasn’t it. She was never really alone, but sometimes, she did like peace and quiet.

Labrys never thought she would want to go back to the lab that held all those painful memories, but she was strong enough now. Her sister and dear friends had showed her the new beauty it possessed, and when she took in the vibrant colors and sweet fragrances of the almost otherworldly plants, it didn’t feel so lonely and miserable anymore. The chirping of the birds calmed her heart and she closed her eyes for a time, thinking back on the sisters she was forced to destroy. She could almost feel them there; she could almost sense their Plumes of Dusk.

“I wish you guys could all see the good things the Kirijo Group is doing now,” she said. “I wanna make you proud.”

A quiet scoff cut through the ambiance and her eyes snapped open, honing in on the source of the sound. There was a boy crouched at the other end of the room. His fiery red hair, which would set him apart in most other locations, actually helped him blend in with the scenery here.

So it wasn’t her imagination; she really had felt a Plume of Dusk. How long had he been there? She had been so preoccupied with the significance of this place that she hadn’t even noticed him.

“Of course _you’d_ be into that sentimental garbage,” he said. His tone was condescending, but his eyes and scar were cool blue, and she relaxed. With surprise, she saw Snowy at his feet, panting happily as the boy scratched the fur between the dog’s ears. Labrys wanted to laugh at the peculiar sight, but she didn’t want to make him angry.

“Oh, it’s you, Sho-kun. It’s been a while,” she said.

“I’ve been busy. Not everyone needs constant companionship to get shit done.” Sho stood, and Snowy looked up at him. “Go on, mutt,” he grumbled. Snowy bounded toward Labrys, wagging his tail in excitement. He barked a greeting at his old friend, and she smiled.

Labrys bent down to pet the happy dog. “He likes you,” she noted.

“Tch. What do I care? It doesn’t matter,” he said. But it did. She stroked Snowy’s white fur and looked back at Sho. His swords were sheathed at his hips and his posture was smug as ever, but he held himself so differently now.

“How do you know about this place?”

Sho smirked. “Are you serious right now? You Shadow Operatives are the worst ‘secret’ organization I’ve ever limo-seen!” He laughed at his own pun, and for the first time, Labrys laughed, too.

“Yeah, Mitsuru-san doesn’t really do covert, does she?” Before giving him a chance to answer, she went on. “But if you saw us around, you coulda stopped and said hi, ya know.”

Sho’s glare softened briefly before he recovered his aggressive mantle. “Don’t make me laugh! I don’t need anyone telling me what to do.”

Labrys looked back down at Snowy, who rolled over to show her his belly. She rubbed the soft fur there and smiled. She couldn’t speak for Mitsuru and some of the others, but she had no interest in telling him what to do. He must have known that, or else he wouldn’t be here.

“Well, it’s nice to see you, Sho-kun.” She looked back up just in time to catch Sho looking like he had just choked on something. Catching him off guard like that was kind of fun. He defaulted back to anger almost immediately, but it was worth it. Maybe if she kept being kind to him, he would realize that not everyone had an agenda. Besides, she had a feeling he liked getting a rise out of her just as much; they just went about it in different ways.

“That’s enough!” His hands flew for his swords, gripping the hilts. “What the hell are you trying to pull?” Something sparked in Labrys then, and she shot up straight, meeting his eyes from across the lab. He didn’t back down from her intense glare. Snowy barked sharply at Sho as he started to unsheathe the blades.

“Not in here.” Her tone was final, cutting through the lush foliage and silencing the birds. Sho froze in place. She was prepared to communicate with him on his level, but this place was too beautiful, and she was determined that no one would desecrate it again. “I’ll fight you, Sho-kun, but not in here.”

Sho looked around at the dilapidated remnants of the test machinery. Sliding his weapons back into their scabbards, he assumed a cocky pose. “Have it your way. It’s no skin off my nose, or what’s left on there anyway.” Labrys eyed him with curiosity and he tapped his foot, shooting her an expectant look. “What the hell are you waiting for? Lead the way, robot.”

Labrys was surprised by his respect for her wish, though she tried not to let it show. Instead, she burst out of the building in two quick high jumps. Sho was right behind her, running at lightning speed.

“And don’t think I’m going to go easy on you because you’re all weepy and shit,” he called.

Something in her broke free once they were outside and she unleashed her axe, swinging it down so that it stopped mere inches from his scarred face. “Shut up and fight me, will ya?”

Her fierce assault invigorated him, and he smirked, eyes glinting with more mirth than malice. “You’re finally speaking my language,” he said, unleashing both blades at once and repelling her axe in a single fluid movement, knocking her back a step. She felt the vibrations from the clash of steel on steel in her limbs, but she launched herself right back into battle.

He resisted each of her strikes, his spirit surging with every blow. His love for battle was evident in the delight on his face, even as he struggled to fend her off. With a mighty swing, he managed to throw her back again, and without even taking a breath, he roared and propelled himself at her.

Fighting Sho was like fighting a cyclone, and Labrys needed all her resolve to avoid getting caught in the storm. His range was unbelievable and he bested her in speed. He slashed again and again, coming at her with both swords, and it was all she could do to block his advances.

Neither of them was truly going for the kill. It was more like a workout, and the brief thought that Akihiko and Sho might get along flashed through Labrys’s mind. But she had to stay focused.

He had gotten stronger since their last encounter. It seemed like he finally understood the power of bonds that Yu had gone on about that day. Luckily, this bond worked both ways, and Labrys’s senses were heightened as searched his movements for an opening. At last she found one, and she brought her axe down on him with a yell.

Their eyes met and he grinned, just a hint of mania bubbling beneath the surface.

“Eat it!” he shouted. There was a familiar sound and suddenly, she found herself face to face with Tsukiyomi. Her eyes bugged. That’s right! Yu-kun said Sho could use a Persona now. How could she have forgotten? More than fear, she felt happiness at the reminder that Sho was now whole, just like her.

But now wasn’t the time. Sho was so fast that she hadn’t even gotten a chance to utilize her own Persona.

She cried out for Ariadne, but it was too late. A burst of darkness blew her back and she fell to the ground. She remained there for a moment, steadying her functions before rising to her knees.

“Had enough?” Sho taunted from above her, his chest heaving. “Me and my PerSHOna can do this all day!” He laughed, but he looked worn-out.

Her own systems needed to charge, but she pushed herself up, her axe hanging at her side. “I’m not givin’ up. I’ve still got some fight left in me.” She took a slow step towards him. Stopping wasn’t an option; the only way she could help him was to give him everything she had.

Sho cocked his head at an angle as she approached, keeping his eyes on her. “Tch. Are you serious? Come on, it’s not even fun if you’re broken.”

She blinked in surprised, examining his face. What was that look he was giving her? Was it mercy? Concern? It was almost nice, for him, and it was her turn to be caught off guard. The thought gave her an idea for changing the tide of the battle. Maybe she did have another option.

Sho had her beat, but there was a way she could change the outcome. It was a gamble, but she had to try.

Keeping her axe low, she approached him purposefully. His eyes narrowed and she picked up speed. He swung his swords high into the air as she closed in on him, but she never lifted her weapon.

At the instant when he was about to strike, she dove forward and planted a kiss against his cheek. His skin was hot and a little sweaty from the battle in the summer heat.

Nothing happened for a moment. She wondered if she had just made her last mistake, but then Sho’s swords fell to the ground behind him with a thud. He grabbed her hands and she dropped her axe. Unable to believe her own nerve, she pulled back to look at him. Shock didn’t even begin to describe the expression on his face, and she focused on the rings around his pupils.

_Don’t laugh, don’t laugh, don’t laugh_ , she thought. Whether that advice was for herself or for Sho, she wasn’t sure.

She had rendered him truly speechless, and his grip on her hands loosened. Amazingly, he still didn’t look angry, but his face was unreadable. What was going on in his head?

“Hey, Sho-kun?” she said. A twitch of his eyes was her only response. “Persona.” Her voice was soft, and Ariadne knocked Sho to the ground with a light tap, his hands slipping from hers.

Hitting the earth seemed to bring him back to his senses, and he scrambled to his feet. “That’s bullshit, you cheater! What the hell was that about?”

“I saw an opening, so I took it,” she replied cheerfully. She retrieved her axe and collapsed it, snapping it in place on her back.

“Shut up!” he shouted. “You got lucky!”

“You’re tellin’ me,” she said. His hair looked like especially flame-like as he fumed, momentarily unable to form words. Snowy chose this time to emerge from the lab, pushing his head against Labrys’s outstretched hand. She smiled and scratched his chin, which seemed to make Sho even more irritated.

“That’s not what I—ugh! Don’t you dare get cute with me!” He picked up his swords and sheathed them with sharp movements and frustrated grunts. She decided not to point out that he had just called her cute. “I am so done with this shit right now. I want a goddamn rematch!”

“Just name the time and place and I’ll be there, Sho-kun.”

He scoffed and turned to leave, but before even making it a single step, he turned back to her. “Just Sho, okay?” he barked. “SHO. As in I’m going to SHO myself out.”

Labrys giggled, scratching behind Snowy’s ears. “Okay, Sho.”

He fixed his stare on her, and the corners of his mouth curled up in a smirk. It might have even been a smile, but then again, that might have been her imagination. “You’re pretty gutsy. But I’ll get you next time, Labrys.” With a snicker, he added, “and your little dog, too.”

He kept right on laughing as he took off in the opposite direction. Stroking Snowy’s back, she watched Sho’s form disappear into the distance. She didn’t know where he went or what he had been doing, but whatever it was, it was helping.

“He’s changin’. You can tell, too, can’t you, Snowy? Maybe next time, we won’t need to fight,” she said. Snowy tilted his head and stretched his jaw. Labrys could sense his skepticism and she laughed. “Yeah, you’re probably right.”

But maybe the time after that, things would be different.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Named for the Smashing Pumpkins song, since it seemed appropriate on multiple levels.


	4. Sisterly Bond

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Labrys is keeping secrets, but Aigis can give Detective Shirogane a run for her money.

"Welcome back. How was your trip?"

It was dark when Labrys returned to the Kirijo compound. Mitsuru greeted her shortly after one of the maids let her in the house.  
  
“It was good,” Labrys replied, knowing that wouldn’t be enough to satisfy her. She would have gone to see Fuuka first—Fuuka would ask fewer questions—but she had an important project to finish for her class and Labrys didn’t want to bother her.  
  
Aigis's presence didn't make it any easier.  
  
“Sister, are you all right?” Aigis asked. “You appear to have sustained minor combat damage.”  
  
Mitsuru’s calm expression darkened. “Were you attacked? I was concerned when your phone’s GPS signal went offline…”  
  
Labrys was not at all surprised that Mitsuru had tried to track her. Everyone had their quirks, and it was just her way of showing she cared. Meanwhile, Aigis was already examining Labrys’s arms and legs.  
  
“Really, guys, I’m okay,” Labrys replied. “I’ll just go get cleaned up.”  
  
“Labrys, you understand that I must ask if you have anything to report as far as the Shadow Operatives are concerned.”  
  
“Of course, Mitsuru-san.” The decision to keep quiet wasn’t easy, but the tentative truce she had forged with Sho was still fragile. “I just don’t have anything to tell right now.”  
  
“Very well,” Mitsuru replied, though she still sounded troubled. “Please, be careful regarding any…loose ends from our last mission.”  
  
“Thanks, Mitsuru-san.”  
  
“I will accompany you to the lab, sister,” Aigis said.  
  
“Excellent. I’ll call for a driver,” Mitsuru replied, pulling out her phone to do so. “Forgive me for taking my leave, but I have an appointment I must attend.”

Although Labrys was glad that Mitsuru didn’t press her for more information, she worried about her ever-busy friend. “But it’s so late. You should take some time for yourself and relax soon, Mitsuru-san.”  
  
Mitsuru’s smile was coy. “Actually, this is a personal appointment, but thank you.”  
  
Once the head Operative had left, Aigis turned to Labrys. “Did you enjoy your time at the greenhouse?” They no longer referred to it as a test facility; it had a new purpose now.  
  
“I really did. Thanks again for showing it to me. I’ll have to thank Yukari-san next time I see her, too.” She recalled the birds and the calm feeling that place inspired, if only briefly. “For a moment there, I felt connected to our other sister units, you know? Like it wasn’t all for nothing.”  
  
“I believe they would be proud of you,” Aigis said with a smile. Labrys beamed back at her.  
  
“Oh, yeah! Snowy says ‘hi,’” she added, eliciting a quick laugh from her sister. Aigis regarded her warmly for a little longer before breaking the silence.  
  
“You have sparred with Sho Minazuki.”  
  
Labrys blinked in surprise. “How could you tell?”  
  
“The damage pattern shows no intent to seriously injure or kill. It is also consistent with the particular styles of combat employed by the two personalities we encountered in Minazuki-san. Given the most recent intelligence from Narukami-san, the only possible conclusion is that the personalities have, for lack of a better word, merged and that you have sparred with the resulting being,” Aigis said.  
  
“Wow, was it that obvious?” Labrys was only half joking. Her sister could give Naoto Shirogane a run for her money.  
  
“This is not the first time he has sought you specifically. Do you not trust Mitsuru-san with this information?”  
  
Labrys shook her head. “It’s not that. I do trust her…but he doesn’t.” She looked down at the ground and went on. “He doesn’t actually trust me, either. But if I get Mitsuru-san and them involved, it’s just gonna push him further away.”  
  
Aigis gave this some thought. “I see.”  
  
“For what it’s worth, I don’t think Sho is a danger to us, at least not right now.” Labrys imagined Sho would take offense to that statement - he would insist that he was always dangerous, and then make some threatening joke about it.  
  
“How can you be sure?” Aigis asked. Labrys frowned.  
  
“I’m really sorry, but you’re just gonna have to trust me,” she replied. Her sister paused to consider her words, but she broke into a smile.  
  
“Of course I trust you, sister. But I want you to know that you can confide in me as well. There is no need to take on everything by yourself.”  
  
“Thank you,” Labrys said, feeling lighter than before. She knew she could tell Aigis anything and that her sister could keep secrets from the others if she had to, but Labrys had more work to do first.  
  
After a moment, Aigis spoke again. “Will you answer one question?”  
  
Labrys looked up. “Hm? What’s that?”  
  
“In your match, did you defeat Minazuki-san?”  
  
Labrys giggled, remembering Sho’s shocked expression after she kissed his cheek. “You know what? I think I did.”  
  
“You are uncertain?” Aigis asked.  
  
It was a fair question, but the more she thought about it, the more she realized his behavior had surprised her just as much. Most of all, she was surprised in herself. “Well, now that you mention it, maybe it was more like a draw.”  
  
Aigis regarded her curiously. “I have a feeling that there is something you are not telling me.”  
  
“Well…” she said with a nervous laugh.  
  
“It’s all right. You have my trust and my full support.” Yet again, Labrys suspected that her sister knew more than she let on, but Aigis didn’t push the issue.  
  
Once Mitsuru’s driver arrived, the sisters left the mansion to board the conspicuous limousine for the robotics lab. Labrys laughed to herself while Aigis looked on, still smiling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mitsuru’s “personal appointment” is drinks with Akihiko because yeah, I ship that, too.


	5. Infinite Possibilities

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While dealing with anger issues, social issues, and Labrys issues, Sho finds himself back in the Velvet Room.

In hindsight, trying to destroy the world had been a stupid idea, but the whole tournament thing had been pretty amusing for a while.  
  
Not that he was going to pull anything like that again. How could he with that Boy Scout Narukami and his band of followers running around? Not to mention the Kirijo bitches.  
  
Still, it had been fun to drop some killer puns on a new audience. Minazuki had never really gotten his sense of humor.   
  
Sho could admit that he missed the guy. Sure, he had given him a Persona (and some patience) and that was awesome, but now it was just Sho, figuring shit out on his own.   
  
Maybe that was why he kept seeking out the robot. Okay, Labrys.   
  
She got it. She knew what it was like to have nothing; to be used as a test subject and discarded like trash. And she laughed at his jokes, at least some of them. Labrys was as real as Minazuki had been, and now she and Sho really were the same. He could feel it every time he was around her. It was familiar and annoying all at once.  
  
But he would have to avoid her for a while after their last encounter. No one had ever kissed him before; not even so much as a goodnight kiss from his prick of a dad. Not that he wanted that normal, mushy bullshit, anyway.  
  
He had expected Labrys to send the Kirijo hounds after him ages ago but for some reason, she hadn’t. It was a pain to think about, but he got the idea that Labrys’s feelings toward him weren’t parental.

Until recently, he had no idea robots could even have feelings. Then again, emotions other than rage and resentment were kind of a new concept to him, too. ‘Thank Yu very much for that one,’ he thought with a bitter laugh.

He just didn’t know what to make of the whole thing. He had to admit that her unorthodox tactic had been effective. He HAD her; that battle was his, and then boom! That shit hit him harder than her axe.

He hadn’t expected her face to be so soft. What was it made of? The rest of her was hard metal, but her face was so expressive. It must have been some sort of—Sho shook his head violently, hopping off that runaway train of thought.

Maybe the next time he needed some amusement he could bother Yu instead. Yu was a hell of a fighter, and Sho couldn’t imagine him trying to pull a Labrys. But then he was going to have to hear all about “the power of bonds” or some shit and he didn’t have the time or patience for that garbage. Enough already. Sho wasn’t alone. He needed other people. He got it. No need to make a fucking production out of it.  
  
There was also Adachi, assuming he wasn’t sore about the whole beat down thing. Adachi had seemed almost masochistic about it, as if he had deserved it. But the guy was obnoxious and besides, he was in prison. Sho doubted anyone was going to let him fight while he was in there. It was probably against the “rules” or whatever Adachi had gone on about.   
  
At least everything wasn’t a goddamn buzzword with Labrys. Maybe he could coax Shadow Labrys out of her - now there was someone who knew how to party.   
  
No, that was a guaranteed way to get the Mystery Gang and Kirijo’s pussies on his back. It wouldn’t work anyway, seeing as Shadow Labrys and Labrys Classic weren’t really all that different. The two sides of her seemed to have come to an understanding. It was kind of impressive.  
  
“God, this is boring,” he growled. Sitting there thinking about his feelings was so lame. He’d even take one of Ikutsuki’s shitty old movies over this.  
  
So he willed himself to think about nothing.  
  
He hadn’t ventured that far from the old research lab. Labrys had left the island a while ago and the sun was setting. Now settled in a secluded spot by the water, he yawned. Whether out of boredom or sleepiness or both, he wasn’t sure.   
  
The light on the beach faded, and eventually, the moon cast a blue hue on everything around him. Shapes and lines grew hazy and blurry and he was moving, maybe in some kind of vehicle.   
  
“Welcome back,” said a clear voice. Sho opened his eyes (when had he closed them?) and found himself in that blue limo from back then. The blond woman sat across from him, smiling like she knew a secret.  
  
“You again? I told you I didn’t need any fucking help,” Sho said automatically. Rather than intimidate, his language only made the woman chuckle.  
  
“No? Even now, after your epiphany?” the woman asked.  
  
“I am so serious, it’s not even epi-funny,” he replied. He tried to hold back a laugh, but he couldn’t. The woman—he forgot her name—kept on smiling.   
  
“Do you remember when we first met?” she asked.  
  
He leaned back in the seat, legs wide apart, and crossed his arms. “Not really.” He actually did. It was bizarre as hell, and there had been a weird-looking old man with the blonde. Today, it was just Madeline. Or something that started with an M.  
  
“I see. I remember it well, myself, and I sense great changes in you since that time.”  
  
“Really? Did I get taller? More hilarious?” he asked.   
  
“Perhaps. Although, I was referring to your power.” He couldn’t faze Marjorie. “But your journey has just begun. To realize the extent of the possibilities within you will require our assistance.”  
  
“Listen, I have more help than I know what to do with lately. You said it yourself, I’m stronger. I think I’ll pass.”  
  
“Did I say you were stronger?” she asked. Okay, no she hadn’t. “Well, since you’re so confident in your strength, perhaps you would be interested in a small wager? A battle for a hand in your fate?”  
  
His ears perked up at the word “battle” but he played it cool. “What the hell are you talking about?”   
  
“I propose a duel. I would like to see how you have progressed.”

“So what’s in it for me?” Sho asked. “Not that I’m agreeing to anything.”

Melody(?) smiled. “If I emerge victorious, then you will consider accepting my master’s terms and our assistance. If you are triumphant, you may continue on as you will,” she said. Sho leaned forward, propping his hands on his knees.

“So let me get this straight. We fight, and win or lose, I don’t have to do anything I don’t wanna do?”

“That is correct.”

He didn’t like her knowing smile but he couldn’t resist the lure of a battle, especially given the woman’s elegant appearance. Sho could tell that she was much stronger than she looked, but he wasn’t worried.

“All right, Marzipan. Let’s do this.”

When had the walls of the limousine gotten further apart? The ceiling was suddenly higher, and Sho hadn’t seen it happen. In fact, they weren’t in the limo anymore at all, but in a stone-walled castle or dungeon or something.

She was still smiling. “My name is Margaret. After this battle, I doubt you’ll have any trouble remembering it.” Calmly, she stood and readied herself for battle, which apparently meant opening a book. Was she crazy? “I have been looking forward to this. Don’t let me down.”

Sho stood as well, unsheathing his duel blades, lips curling in a crooked smile.

He lunged at her, striking low, but she disappeared and popped up behind him. Whirling around and jumping into the air, he lunged at her from above, but she met him in midair, smacking him back down to the ground, hard.

He called for Tsukiyomi and Margaret’s smile widened.

“Intriguing!” she said, taking a hit from his Persona straight on. It only seemed to invigorate her. He moved again, head on this time, but blue cards shot out from nowhere, clanging against his swords. Cards?

She called out some gibberish and Sho twisted, narrowly missing a spear through his arm from her Persona. Margaret did not let up after he dodged–she slammed her book into the ground and Sho felt it in his bones.

He rushed her again, landing a few strikes that would have decimated most opponents but again, did not seem to faze the blonde. Was it something about this place?

“Yoshitsune!” she cried, and suddenly, a different persona was rushing him with samurai swords.

“What the hell?” Sho shouted. He was too slow this time, taking the brunt of the hit and falling to the ground. So Margaret used more than one Persona. And how was she so fast? He laughed, wiping his bloodied nose on his sleeve and forcing himself back up. He couldn’t take many more hits like that, so he just had to be faster.

A burst of adrenaline rewarded him with a series of rapid, hard hits. He knew she had to be feeling it, but he was in worse shape. Margaret regarded him with something like pride before smiling triumphantly.

“Come, Ardha!” she said, catching him between swings. A bizarre, two-toned monstrosity or a Persona emerged and launched balls of ice and fire at him from the sky. Sho tried to block the barrage, but he was exhausted. The elements hit him straight on and he collapsed to the ground in pain.

She was too powerful. Sho wasn’t sure how long he laid there, trying to catch his breath and get the feeling back in his frozen legs. Suddenly, a rush of warmth washed over him, and he found himself back in the limo, feeling stiff but much less pained.

“You have gotten stronger. I was impressed with your effort, but now you must fulfill your end of the bargain.”

“You wrapped my ass in a box and handed it to me. That was a hell of a fight,” Sho admitted, just going with the scene change. “Multiple Personas, huh? Just like him.”

“There are infinite possibilities within all of us. I see a great potential in you as well,” Margaret replied. Ignoring the mystical BS, Sho sat up straighter.

“Are you saying that I can do that?” he wondered aloud.

“I’m afraid I can’t help you unless you enter—”

Sho groaned. “Right, right, the contract. Fine, I’ll do it,” he muttered. “Get off my back already!”

Margaret smiled. “Wonderful.”

“So now what?” he asked, looking around the limo.

“Right now, I have other matters to attend, but I’m sure we will meet again soon. My master will want to speak with you.”

Sho’s jaw dropped. “So that’s it? You drag me here, beat the shit out of me, make me sign my goddamn soul away, and then drop me off at soccer practice or something?” he demanded.

Margaret was calm. “On the contrary, your soul is still your own. Perhaps your new contacts can assist you until you visit this room again.”

Sho was spitting out curses and protests, but the air was already going hazy for him. He faded back into reality, and Margaret was left in the Velvet Room.

“My, what a belligerent guest!” said Theo. “All the others have been so quiet. I don’t think I could have handled it so well.”

“Indeed, he was quite difficult. Though I think it was good practice for when our sister joins us as a guest.” Margaret let out a sigh. “Perhaps I’ll let you handle her,” she added with a wink. Theo’s eyes widened and he gulped.

“I-if that is what you wish…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tried to convey a mix of turn based RPG battle and fighting game battle, but fight scenes are sooo not my forte.


	6. Answers and Distractions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sho has questions, and Aigis has both answers and inappropriate jokes.

The birds on the beach were chirping out arpeggios when Sho came to. All he could see were vague shapes and silhouettes in gray tones. Was the beach always this ugly? And why was he still moving?

A clear voice cut into his dream and he realized he wasn’t alone.

“The next stop is Iwatodai Station.”

He jerked upright, eyes snapping open. Was he in a train car?

“Very funny. Not,” he grumbled. The man sitting across from him was slack-jawed and staring, but Sho just glared at him until he looked away.

Fine. He would go back to Port Island, but not because Margaret wanted him to.

He had a robot to see. Not Labrys, but her weirdo sister with the built-in guns. She had a Wild Card, and he wanted some answers. If that dick with the long nose wasn’t going to give him any, he would sniff them out himself.

Besides, this was probably the last train for the night, and despite being healed, he was pretty tired.

This was where his inheritance came in handy. No one cared why a high school kid was running around alone when he had a fist full of cash. Of course, it helped that normal people tended to avoid Sho like a mangy stray cat. This didn’t apply to sentimental robots, creepy elevator attendants, and high school students bent on friendship.

Too tired for any camping bullshit, Sho got a room in a plain ryokan and caught a few hours of dreamless sleep. Rotten sleeping conditions were the only thing he hated about the nomadic life, so he had to admit it was nice to sleep on a decent futon.

For all the crap Ikutsuki put him through, at least he could afford to stay in comfy beds. It didn’t make up for any of it, but it didn’t matter anymore.

Sho checked out early. Labrys’s sister would be chasing that meathead to and from his classes, and this made her easy to track down. He skulked around the college campus for a while, and then he felt her – a single, sharp pang – before he saw her.

Wow, she sucked at blending in. Luckily, she was alone, exiting one of the buildings. The robot scanned her surroundings and honed in on him almost immediately.

Aigis wasn’t so easily distracted by the world around her, unlike Labrys, who had gotten so caught up in the scenery the last time they met that she didn’t even notice her own plume resonating with his, in that sustained, persistent hum that he was starting to associate with —-

“Minazuki-san. Or is that Sho-san?”

The robot was right next to him. What the hell was he doing? While he had been going all soft and squishy, the robot had snuck up on him. Fucking bonds.

He shrugged, trying to reclaim his cool. “Whatever.”

“Well, it’s good to see you again.” She smiled at him, and it was confusing as hell.

“Awww, that’s real swell,” he drawled, before breaking into a snarl. “Cut the crap, you’re not happy to see me.”

“On the contrary, I am quite pleased. What brings you here?” She sounded so damn good-natured. It was obnoxious. “Are you looking for Labrys? She is at school right now.”

Sho’s temper flared, bringing heat to his face. That was his temper, and definitely nothing else. “Why the hell would I be looking for her?”

The robot giggled, and his hands twitched to the blades at his hips. In a split second, her eyes focused on the movement and her smile was replaced with a look of determination. He could respect those reflexes.

“So you are here for a battle.”

He hadn’t really planned that far ahead. “Nah, but I’m always up for kicking some ass.”

“Very well. May I suggest we find a less conspicuous location?”

All these freaks were so goddamn polite and agreeable. If that was the secret he needed to crack, he was screwed, but he laughed it off.

“Damn, what is with you robot chicks always trying to get in my pants?”

“Your pants would not fit me.” If Aigis was confused, her face didn’t show it.

Sho shook his head in disbelief. “What a piece of junk! Can’t you even recognize a joke?”

“I am just returning your humor in kind,” she replied with a sly smile. “It was obvious that you were joking, since we both know I’m not the robot you would like in your pants.”

That did it. Sho was livid. “Shut the hell up! Are you trying to piss me off?” He brandished his swords, but Aigis was already streaking off into an alley, past the crowds of shocked onlookers. So much for inconspicuous.

He shoved his swords back into their sheaths and chased her to what looked like an empty warehouse. Without her goofy street clothes, Sho had to admit she looked pretty badass, standing tall with her hand cannons at the ready.

Teeth bared, katanas out once more, Sho felt the rush of the impending fight. “I’m gonna END you, you piece of shit!”

“And we will continue fighting you, as long as it takes.”

Grinning, he ignored her statement and lunged in for the first strike.

Unlike his fight with Margaret, this was more of an even match. Blows were traded, shots were blocked, Personas were used, and Sho found his opening. He closed in, blades gleaming in the thin beams of light that filtered in through the boarded windows, and asked a question.

“So this is kind of a bust. Why don’t you shuffle things up and use that Wild Card?”

“What?” Aigis’s eyes went wide and her block came too late, feet screeching hard against the floor as she was thrown back. Though she didn’t fall, she continued to stare at him, aghast, as if the question hit harder than he did.

Holstering his weapons, he held his arms up in confusion. “If I had that power, I’d be spamming it like crazy, so what gives?”

Aigis still didn’t know what to make of him, but slowly, she lowered her weapons as well. After some hesitation, she finally answered him.

“I suppose I only use it when I need to. I haven’t visited that room in a long time.”

Sho frowned. “Well, I was there not too long ago, and those freaks didn’t tell me anything. But seeing as you and your _buddies_ are so goody-goody, I thought you might.” His tone was brash, but Aigis cut through to what he meant, lips quirking up in a smile.

“The whole process was a bit…complicated, but I will do my best to answer.”

The immediate trust in her voice, in her manners — both caught him off guard, but he snapped out of it. “How did you get it?”

“I started a journey. I wanted to know what it meant to be truly alive.” That sounded familiar, not that Sho would admit it. “When it began, all I wanted was to protect one person.” That part sounded familiar, too, though it was more that Minazuki had wanted to protect him. “But I learned that there were many things, many people that made me alive.”

Of course. He rolled his eyes and groaned.  “Don’t tell me. Your swell friends?”

Aigis nodded. “For me, they were the answer.”

“I figured it’d be something lame like that,” he said with a yawn.

“Aren’t you searching for an answer, too? Isn’t that why you fight?”

Narukami had said basically the same thing, only he had asked Sho not to involve anyone else in the process. Oops. But how else was he supposed to form bonds with other people?

Wait. Had wanting to fight turned into wanting to make friends?

And here he thought he was just trying to figure out what the hell to do with his life now that he didn’t have his two constant companions, namely Minazuki and uncontrollable rage. Could it really be that simple?

No matter what, it was time to leave.

“I’ve got what I need.”

Aigis bent down to pick up her coat. “Very well.”

Sho was most of the way to the door when Aigis’s voice called out again.

“I’ll tell Labrys that you are well. She’ll be glad to hear it.”

A small rock caught his foot and he almost tripped. Surely that was what sent his heart into his stomach just then. He played it off with a dismissive wave of his hand and kept right on walking. “Do what you want.”

The door handle was in his hand when she spoke again.

“Don’t worry, I won’t mention your pants.”

The handle failed under the force of his grip, and he felt that heat rising to his cheeks again. “For the last time, that was a joke! And if you say anything, I’ll kill you!” The threat was as empty as the warehouse, and he was determined not to turn around.

Soon, he was on the move again, on another train. It was faint, but the buzzing of the train on the track reminded him of a certain sustained hum, and he found himself drifting off to sleep.


End file.
